1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a terminal apparatus and a method for setting terminal information, and in particular, to a method and apparatus for setting terminal information using a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM).
2. Background of the Related Art
The Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) is a type of a smart card for performing data processing process for a mobile phone service on the basis of security functions such as password, authentication and the like, and providing mobility of individuals. When a terminal user inserts a SIM, which contains terminal information often used by the user, to a terminal even if the terminal is not his or her own one, the terminal information stored in the SIM can be set in the current terminal. Therefore, when the terminal user uses a different terminal, the terminal information is set using the inserted SIM, in which terminal information formerly used by the user is stored, and displayed.
One embodiment of the operation that the terminal user manually performs to set the terminal information using a phone book in accordance with the related art will now be described with reference to FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, after starting, the terminal user opens the phone book of the terminal (step S10). Then, the user searches for a menu for setting the terminal information (step S11). When the setting menu of the terminal information is searched, the terminal sets the searched terminal information (step S12). As each portion of the terminal information is set, the terminal checks whether additional terminal information to be set next exists (step S13).
As the result of checking (step S13), if the additional terminal information to be set next exists, the terminal can repeatedly search for the setting menu of such additional terminal information and can perform a corresponding predetermined process. Thus, from step S13 the process jumps back to step S10. However, if the additional terminal information to be set next does not exist, the terminal closes the phone book and ends the setting process of the terminal information.
The process for setting terminal information where the terminal information is a language, a background screen and a bell sound (i.e., ring) in accordance with the related art will now be described with reference to FIG. 1. First, the terminal user opens the phone book of the terminal and searches for the language setting menu. The terminal user selects the language to be used in the searched menu and then closes the phone book. The terminal user then reopens the phone book to set the background screen, which is the next terminal information in order after closing the phone book. The terminal user searches for the background setting menu after reopening the phone book and selects a desired background screen from the searched background screen setting menu.
The terminal user who selected the background screen closes the phone book and then again reopens the phone book to set the bell sound, which is the next terminal information in order. When the bell sound setting menu is searched by reopening the phone book, the terminal user selects the desired bell sound from the searched bell sound setting menu and closes the phone book. After closing the phone book, the user has completed the terminal information setting of the terminal because there is no terminal information to be set next.
As described above, however, the related art process for setting terminal information using SIM has various disadvantages. In the related art, the terminal user must repeatedly set the terminal information when transferring the SIM containing user profile information to a different terminal. Thus, when the terminal user uses the terminal, there occurs an inconvenience that the terminal user must manually set the combination of terminal information again after searching the corresponding menus in order by repeating opening the phone book to use the terminal information that was previously used.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.